


A Summer Storm

by WeirdTea



Category: Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Accidental Voyeurism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2021-02-23 14:02:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23245891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WeirdTea/pseuds/WeirdTea
Summary: Gilbert has almost given up on Anne and is trying to move on with Winifred when he sees a vision of a possible future that sets his head spinning. Kinda steamy.
Relationships: Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley
Comments: 28
Kudos: 243





	A Summer Storm

The apparitions had been going on for over two weeks now. When they had first occurred Gilbert never would have suspected how mundane they would become. The papers had informed them that some scientists over in Toronto were doing an experiment with time, and as a result apparitions of possible futures would be popping up all over the country for the next few weeks. The articles stressed that these were nothing to be frightened of, that one could not interact with them as the figures within would be completely emerged in their own time with no knowledge of being witnessed ahead of time – and that one was not to set their watch by what they saw as the future was not yet set and the very foreknowledge of an event could alter the path to it to the point where it no longer occurred. All strange and fascinating concepts that initially had the residents of Avalonia in quite a tizzy.

Gilbert had to suppress a grin at the image of a particularly enthused Anne reading out parts of the article to the class and pondering aloud the many wonders they would get to see. Her face had been flushed with it and her eyes bright. He had long since given up denying the effect Anne’s passion for everything had on him, although he had the sense to keep it to himself. And he hoped she had not been too disappointed at the lack luster flashes of the future Avalonia had bared witness to so far as they were far from the wonders she had enthused over.

In hindsight the mundanity made sense for as quiet place as Avalonia. Things there went on as they had for many generations before with little to no change. Farmers brought in the harvest, the sun shone in summer over picnics and the snow fell in winter while festivities were held indoors. There was however something to seeing the young of Avalonia older than their years. One apparition within their very school house had shown a Mini May at her sister’s current age answering a question in class. And Bash had been over joyed to report a sighting of Dellie and Anne many years on; cooking one of Mary’s recipes. The thought of Anne still being a regular fixture in his home even years on had warmed Gilbert’s heart, even if he suspected the lack of sightings of himself indicated his current path to study abroad away from her was set in stone.

No, despite foolish hopes of his youth, he had accepted that his and Anne Shirley-Cuthbert’s paths while briefly passing by one another where not set in the same direction. He’d had to let go of that dream and had begun perusing Winifred. He hoped in time his feelings for the passionate red-head would ease into the peaceable friendship that seemed to be all she wanted from him. But when the future apparitions had begun he had been unable to stop the rising of bitter hope that maybe, just maybe, there was a future for them out there somewhere. But the weeks had pasted, the experiment was almost over and sightings of Anne had been few and far between. Instead they had been graced only with the most hum drum day to day and he had agreed to go to tea with Winfred again. He’d even made up his mind to invite her to the fair; refusing to give what he’d felt while dancing with Anne at practice any weight in his decision. And so he trudged home from school to change into a better shirt before catching the train to Charlottetown. Or at least that had been his plan.

Upon reaching sight of his home something odd struck him about the field behind the house. Namely, that there was an entirely different weather system existing there. While the sun beat down on him mercilessly as the summer drew closer, behind the house there appeared to be a mini thunder storm. Still a summer storm by the light but certainly a different moment in time to the one he was living. He almost didn’t look. Weary of seeing the day to day mundane continuing ad nausium into the future. But then the experiment was due to finish any day now and who knew when he’d get an opportunity to future gaze again. So dumping his book bag by the door he wandered round to the back of the house to see what he could see. And what he saw did not disappoint.

There, standing in the summer rain was his Anne. Except she wasn’t his Anne, she was an Anne of the future. She looked to be in her twenties, certainly old enough to have finished school. And yet she was here at his home, in the rain. And oh the rain. Her hair was partially up in the style worn by grown up women, but a great deal had fallen free and was plastered to the pale skin of her face and neck by the downpour. She wore a beautiful blue dress that brought out her eyes like shinning sapphires, and it too was soaking. Gilbert tried not to stare, he really tired, but the usual voice of reason in the back of his mind reminding him not to stare at Anne lest she notice was quieted by the realisation that as an apparition this Anne had no way of noticing his stare. Should this future event still transpire she would have no knowledge of him witnessing it. So, as guilty as it made him, he allowed himself this one moment to look and long and truly take in the breath taking sight that was Anne – for what could be the last time he half assured half cursed himself. Whatever life he was planning that didn’t involve admiring this beauty before him he was clearly destined to be left wanting for it.

Apparition Anne was spinning slowly, her face up turned to the heavens. A fleeting worry crossed his mind at her catching cold but before it could fully form he heard his own voice state as much and jumped to see his older self-approaching. Surprisingly, Anne did not startle at this intrusion but instead turned to beam at him, her chest heaving with sudden emotion. Gilbert felt like he was rooted to the earth, unable to look away. He and Anne were in an apparition, there was a future with the two of them in it. His desperate attempts to push the pure and irrational surge of hope this gave him down was pitiful. He knew he would suffer for it later but in that moment, looking at Anne’s open smile in welcome to his future self, he could not bring himself to care. And then she spoke.

“I was waiting for you” she called, her voice filled with feeling he could not place and did not dare speculate about. “Out in the rain?” Came his future self’s reply, a coy smile on his face. Anne shook her hair as if shaking away an unpleasant thought, her glorious crimson hair flying in the rain drops that pounded down around her still. “I couldn’t stay inside. Not with you out here. You’ve been gone _weeks_ Gil – the waiting was too immense to be contained in that house without you in it” Gilbert believed she meant every word, although he could not fathom the raw emotion behind it. Where on earth had he been? How on earth had they parted? To have her so anxious for his return? He could feel her words churning inside him like a moving creature clawing at his gut and his throat and his heart. Could it be… could it possibly be…

By the look on his future self’s face he wasn’t fairing much better with Anne’s exuberant welcome. The words seemed to have hit him somewhere in his chest. Or maybe that was just the sight of her. Gilbert feared for a moment that the older him was about to do something foolish, and almost called out a warning when he started taking great steps towards the drenched Anne. The power behind his movements, the intent, his feeling all too obvious. But then Anne was taking strides towards him with equal intent and Gilbert almost felt like he’d swallowed his tongue when the apparitions met in the middle and embraced. Their arms wrapped around each other’s bodies securely and with unmistakable familiarity, and their mouths came crashing together with an eagerness Gilbert had never witnessed before.

These were certainly not the actions of two people aware they were being witnessed. Gilbert thought briefly that he should look away but try as he might he could not break his stare – could not even blink – for fear of missing a moment of the image of Anne, his Anne, kissing him with as much passion as he had ever seen her process. And really, he was both witness and witnessed, so truly they were alone he reasoned. And their actions spoke clearly of how alone they were indeed.

Gilbert gaped as he saw his own hands running up and down Anne’s sides. He stared slack jawed as Anne’s hands followed suit and his own moved from her sides to her back and, Gilbert felt his whole body shudder, her chest. The pair was kissing like they were drowning and the other’s lips were the only air. Great gasps escaping them both followed by the most aching moan from Anne’s own mouth. Gilbert thought he had never heard such a heavenly sound, and his future self seemed to agree as his moaning joined hers. Her pale hands frantically pushed at his damp coat, shoving it almost aggressively off his shoulders and down to the sodden ground. All while his hands explored her chest, pushing the blue fabric back leaving only the cotton under-dress that in his fixation Gilbert could see clearly had been rendered almost see-through by the torrent.

He couldn’t breathe. What he was witnessing surpassed even his most desperate and denied dreams. Anne’s moans filling his ears like the sweetest symphony. He desperately tried to catch his breath and his whole body continued to shake as if stuck by lighting. Then, as if intent of giving his younger self a heart attack despite being clearly oblivious to him, older Gilbert’s hands ran down to the sides of Anne’s skirt and began hiking it up with great vigor, all the while pressing soft worshiping kisses to her neck and chest. Anne smiled up at the heavens again, an utterly blissful expression on her face and her hand tangled in his sodden curls. Droplets of rain still pouring down upon the young couple, Gilbert watched transfixed as one landed on her face only to follow it with his eyes down her pale neck and down _down_ into her breasts. His mouth felt very very dry.

He should not be witnessing this. He should really, really, not be watching this. But try as he might he could not bring himself to look away from what he realised now was his most precious, most _longed_ for, wildest hope and dream. His future self pulled Anne up and towards him, her legs entwining around him as her arms clung to his neck. Kissing passionately still Anne let out a joyous laugh like a bell as he carried her inside the house. Present day Gilbert’s heart pounding in his throat, he caught a glimpse of his mother’s ring upon Anne’s finger as her hand entangled in her lover’s hair. The apparition did not extend to the house so both figures were out of sight now, but Gilbert could still see the rain, could still hear the sounds escaping his home. Sounds that left him in now doubt what they were doing. His mind whirling he stood frozen, eyes fixed on the down pour before him but unseeing.

It was awhile later that he realised the apparition had faded like the others had before. He was left standing stiffly, his mind racing still with thoughts of red hair and blue eyes and those lips he so desperately wanted to kiss. But the rain was gone. All evidence of what he has witnessed had vanished leaving only the baking summer sun behind. It took him a long time to move from that spot. And when he did it was not to find a new shirt to impress Winifred at their tea. He sent a quick telegram to her cancelling their plans. He knew in his heart the gentlemen way would have been to end things with her first, but he could not contain his desire to see his Anne enough to postpone it.

Even if nothing from his vision could come to pass for year and years, even if she did not yet return his affection as he knew was all to likely, the knowledge that she could was enough to sustain him for centuries. He could never in a thousand years get over his deep love for Anne, not when he knew that he had a chance at being the one to make her smile like that. At being the husband she would wait in the rain for with impatience for his return. At being the man who could make her emit such noises of joy and passion. That even if time had been changed by him witnessing it and those events would no longer come to pass he would still ensure he would never pass up the opportunity to worship her so out of fear that she may not desire him in return. He would fall to his knees and beg her to allow him this mercy if that was what it took. But as he half walked half sprinted over to Green Gables he thought to himself better to start out with flowers and quiet declarations and work up from there.

As he rounded the bend to Green Gables, a bunch of wild flowers he remembered Anne wearing in her hat the day they met clutched in his fist, he caught sight of Anne looking particularly pink in the face and in deep conversation with Diana by the gate. Her expression was wondrous and full of hope. Gilbert didn’t think he’s ever seen her look so elated and it warmed his heart, whatever had caused it. When she heard him approaching, desperately trying to calm his breathing at the sight of her, her expression changed drastically when their eyes met. He was shocked to a sudden halt by not only the intensity of her look, the feeling behind it. But most notably the similarity to the look he had witnessed on her older self’s face upon seeing him return. Distantly he registered her standing outside for this talk with Diana and not inside her home, her words from earlier about her feeling – _her longing for his return_ – to be too immense a feeling to be contained within a house floating though his mind unbidden.

His attempts to control his breathing weren’t being very successful. Meanwhile, Anne seemed not to be breathing at all. Had he startled her so? He wondered frantically how he must look to her. A mess most likely. Slowly, like she was cautious of spooking a wild animal, she moved away from the gate and towards him. Her whole face was the most beautiful shade of pink that paired with her hair made her resemble the most beautiful of sunsets. Slow as she moved she seemed to be standing face to face with him in no time at all. Without breaking eye contact she carefully took the flowers from Gilbert’s slightly shaking hands, the question in her eyes clear. He gathered himself to speak, summoning any and all sense of decorum he had ever had. But right before he could put his thoughts into words Anne abruptly blurted out “I saw an apparition with you in it.” There was an agonising pause where they’re held eye contact seemed to spark lightning before she continued in a small careful voice “With you _and me_ in it”.

Without even realising it until his eyes had already snapped back to Anne’s Gilbert had glanced down at her left hand. And he could see by her eyes and the expression on her face that she had caught it. The recognition there had his heart hammering almost has hard as before. Haltingly he spoke, suddenly away of how dry his throat felt “I may have seen a similar apparition myself”. Anne visibly gulped, Gilbert's eyes desperately trying not to follow the line of her throat as it moved. “Diana and I were just discussing the hindsight of present events gifted to us by these apparitions” Only Anne could use such big words and still sound like she’d put no thought at all into it. Gilbert could never be as effortlessly eloquent, as clearly shown by the only response he found himself capable of giving being a hum of agreement.

Anne’s eyes were flicking between his own, a slight crease in her brow he wanted to smooth out with his thumb. She looked as if she was trying to puzzle something out of great importance. “Of course it’s hard to know if the seeds of these things have already come to pass” she made it should like a question somehow. All Gilbert could focus on was the sensation of her breath had ghosting across his face. He felt like he was standing on a cliff edge about to plummet. But he knew now with surety how he felt, he was not going to back down now. So summoning all his courage he spoke, sure but quiet so only Anne could hear in the small space between them.

“I think they have definitely been sewn”. Anne’s eyes sparkled and seemed to fill with resolution and before he could say another word she had surged upwards on her tip toes and her lips met his in a touch so soft it made his heart ache. If seeing the other Anne kissing the other Gilbert had been heart stopping it had nothing on experiencing it himself. Regardless of how different the kisses had been. Anne leaned back, hesitant and questioning, her eyes glued to his own. And then he was kissing her. His hands were on her waist and in her hair and he felt rather than saw the flowers slip from her hand before she brought it up to his shoulders. He’d been right in his observation before; it felt like he’d been drowning so for long and suddenly his Anne was giving him air.

**Author's Note:**

> *hides face in hands* this was a lot more steamy than I normally write. Please don't judge me too harshly! I'm not sure where this came from in all honestly. It's also a bit more wordy that I usually write which I blame on the time period. Although it's probably closer to Anne's inner monologue than Gilbert's... whoops. 
> 
> This is my first fic for this fandom as well so please be nice. Part of me is tempted to write Anne's side of this but we'll see. Like all writers I live off of comments and kudos.


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